Improvement in station-indicators



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STATION-INDICATOR.

N0. 192,985. l?a ten'td July 10,1877.

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JAMES W. GRAYDON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO MARY ELIZABETH'GRAYDON, OF SAM-E PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN STATiGN-INDICATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,985, dated July10,1877 applicationfiled June 23, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. GnAYnoN, of Indianapolis, in the county of;Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and ImprovedStation-Indicator and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention is designed for use on both street and railway cars, forthe purpose of indicating to the passengers the names of crossstreets inthe one case, and stations or towns in the other. The names of thecross-streets or stations are printed on a transparent apron which ismoved intermittingly, to expose the names successively to view. Themeans for operating the apron are primarily a chainwheel and pulley,the' former being provided ,with radial arms with which anintermittinglyreciprocating pusher comes in contact at the requiredtimes for turning the chain-wheel one-quarter of a revolution. The saidpusher works vertically in suitable guides, and is operated by contactof a shoe, upon which it rests, with an inclined plane attached to thesleepers between or alongside the track-rails. For more completedescription, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in whichFigurel shows the indicator applied to a street-car. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation with part broken away of the indicator proper. Figs.

2 and 4 show modifications.

The indicating apparatus proper is inclosed in a box or case, A, throughthe slotted or transparent side of which the names of streets orstations on the apron 'B are made to appear as the apron moves byrotation of one of the rolls 0 to which it is attached. A smallchain-pulley, D, is attached to the journal of the motion-roll 0, and achain, E, passes around said pulley, and the wheel or large pulley, F.Thus, when motion is communicated to wheel F it is transmitted to roller0, and thereby to the apron B. The means for communicating motion towheel F consist of a double incline, G, attached to a sleeper, orotherwise secured between or alongside the track-rails; a shoe, H,attached to the under side of the car, and sliding vertically insuitable guides; a rod, I, also sliding in guides, and resting upon theshoe H, or upon a lever operated by it, and a slotted extension, K, ofsaid rod, which comes in contact with tappet arms L, (attached to thechain-wheel F,) whenever the shoe H passes over incline G. The shoe Hissemicircular in form, its convex side being underneath to adapt it toride over the incline G when the car to which the indicator is attachedis moving in either direction. The upper portion of the rod I is squareor polygonal in cross-section, and works in a tube or box ofcorresponding shape, so that it is prevented from turning around itsaxis The slotted jointed extension K has ears or 1 trunnions a, whichwork in opposite irregular continuous grooves Z) formed in fixed metalplates 0 d. l i

The side of the groove contiguous to the chain-wheel F is vertical, andthe other side thereof curved.

The practical application of the indicator and its operation are asfollows: The case or box Ais suitably attached to a street or steamrailway -car, where it may be conveniently seen by the passengers. Theshoe H is arranged in such manner that it will strike and ride over thedouble incline G, whichever direction the car moves in. The shoeoperates the rod I, whether the latter rests directly upon it, as shownin Fig. 5, or upon a lever,

P, as shown in Fig. 1. The lever gives a greater throw or movement tothe rod. The head of the pusher or rod extension K is thus caused to Theobject of providing the pusher with a slot 1 is to prevent contact withthe arms of wheel F when the head of the pusher returns to its place atthe lower end of the continuous groove after each operation of theindicating apparatus; l

In order to enable the chain E to be tightened or slackened, asrequired, to secure perfeet operation of the indicator, the wheel F ismounted on a journal fixed in a pivoted bar, M, whose upper end isslotted so that it may be adjusted toward or from the pulley D,Fig. 1.As a means for assisting in holding the apron taut, or stretched acrossthe front of the'case'A, I employ brakes or frictiondevice's N, whichconsist of springs suitably padded to adapt them to press the apronagainst the idle-roll O.

The object of making the pusher detachable from the squared end of rod 1isto enable the case Ato be transferred from one side or end of a car tothe other, as required, ac cording to the direction in which the caristo move.

Fig. 2 shows a modification of the shoe, in whi'ch the rod I restson acurvedpivoted lever, S.

I have purposely omitted to describe the details of arrangement of theincline G with relation to the track-rails, and the location andattachment of the indicating apparatus proper on the car, since 'theseare matters within the skill of the ordinary mechanic.

What I claim is I 1. In a street or station indicator, the=sliding rodand the jointed pusher or extension, the grooves and tappet chain-wheelfor operating the apron, substantially as specified.

2; In a's'treet or station indicator, the pivoted slotted bar, thechain-wheel mounted on a journal attached thereto, a device for securingthe slotted end of the bar,- a chain and pulley, the rolls 0 and apronattached thereto,

as specified.

JAMES W. GRAYDON. Witnesses:

F. M. FI-NCH,. GUILFORD A. DEITGH.

